Pulitzer Amsterdam

Sprawling, though ever so elegantly, across a staggering 25 canal houses, the Pulitzer is an ideal destination for indulgent getaways. Guests can arrive by boat, rooms are big and stylish, and there are top-notch facilities, including a Gordon Ramsay restaurant due to open in late 2007. And everywhere in the hotel there are antiques galore and glistening marble. There is a lovely garden at the back and, in August, the hotel is home to the Grachtenfestival of classical music, which occurs in and around the premises. The final concert, which takes place on a pontoon outside and is attended by hundreds of bobbing boats, is a delight to hear and see.